


A Tale of Two Royals

by DavidtheWriter (DavidtheTraveler)



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (briefly) - Freeform, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders (Mentioned) - Freeform, Creativity | Romulus "King" Sanders (Mentioned), Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders (Mentioned) - Freeform, Gen, Logic | Logan Sanders (Mentioned) - Freeform, Mild Mentions of Body Horror, Morally Neutral Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Morally Neutral Deceit Sanders, Original Dark Side (Mentioned), Past Unsympathetic Morality | Patton Sanders, Post "Dealing With Intrusive Thoughts", Self-Hatred, Unsympathetic Original Dark Side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:48:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21664717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DavidtheTraveler/pseuds/DavidtheWriter
Summary: After Remus’ revelation and admitting his previous nature to Thomas, Virgil is left in a bad state.  But when he goes to Patton for comfort, he finds the father figure figment in a dour mood of his own.  A mood borne of a split second decision whose consequences have permanently affected Thomas’ mind, and which Patton can never take back, no matter how much he wishes he could.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 3
Kudos: 35





	A Tale of Two Royals

Virgil was not happy.

Granted, he was never exactly very cheerful, but he’d at least been in a mostly okay state since he’d been accepted by the other three. Sure, there had been times when he’d been less than thrilled with current circumstances, such as during Patton’s depression about Thomas’ ex, or when he wasn’t being taken seriously by the others, or even when his old “friend” Deceit had begun to appear and start causing problems; but he’d certainly been feeling better than he had when he was a—when he was one of the “Others”.

Until now, that is.

The worst part was that he wasn’t even sure how Thomas felt. He’d just stood there, shocked, as Virgil waited for him to react to his confession. And when he failed to do so, he gave up and just sunk out.

That had been two days ago, and Thomas hadn’t tried to summon him, or anyone else for that matter, since.

The lack of response was getting to him. His mind had already tried going down those darker paths toward hopelessness and despair. It was only Logan’s teachings concerning his negative thoughts that had kept them at bay thus far. But he knew he couldn’t hold out forever.

What he needed was comfort, assurance, someone who would hold him protectively and remind him that he was important, that he was needed, that he was loved. He needed someone who wouldn’t say it out of pity or scorn, but out of genuine, true love. And that meant only one thing.

Which was why Virgil was hesitantly knocking on Patton’s door.

“Patton, I…I really need to…to talk to you.”

There was no response. He tried again.

“Patton, please, I…I know you and I have been a little…I know I’ve been rather testy with you lately, but…but I could really use your help right now.”

Again, nothing. Virgil’s heart fell. Apparently Patton wasn’t wanting to talk to him either. He made to turn back to his own room.

Until a stifled sob broke through the silence behind Patton’s door.

Virgil froze. He wasn’t sure what to do. If what he thought was happening was happening, then…

Virgil shook his head. He wasn’t like Patton, he didn’t have any sort of paternal instincts or comforting experience. He’d only ever gotten comfort in the past, and only in the past few years since he’d been accepted. He hadn’t been willing to take it from Patton while he was just Anxiety, and he’d certainly never gotten any while he was—

Virgil shook his head again. The last thing he needed to do was think about his time with the Others.

He looked again at Patton’s door, thinking for a moment. Finally, he made his choice.

Quietly, he opened the door.

“Patton, are you okay?”

There was still no response, but now Virgil could see why. Patton was sitting on the floor, facing away from the door, surrounded by various mementos of Thomas’ life. His shoulders were bare, his cat hoodie cast aside as he held his old cardigan to his chest and shook with silent sobs.

Virgil had no idea what to do. Finally, he opted to try what Patton had always done when he was this upset.

Slowly, carefully, he approached Patton. Despite his presence, Patton hadn’t reacted at all. It was as if he didn’t even notice him.

Or maybe he just didn’t care anymore.

Virgil shook himself again, clearing the thoughts from his head as he cleared a spot next to Patton to sit down. Once he had, he remained silent, but carefully leaned into Patton’s shoulder. And after a few moments, he felt Patton lean back.

“Patton, I know you’re probably not very…not very happy with me right now, but…”

Virgil hesitated. “…can you please…can you please tell me what’s wrong? Is it…is it me?”

Patton’s head shot up at that, looking in shock at Virgil, who could now see the tear tracts coating his cheeks and the stains on his cardigan.

“No, no kiddo,” he cried, “I’m not mad at you. I mean…”

Patton looked down. “I…I haven’t been as…thrilled with how our relationship has been recently, but…but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love you, kiddo.”

Virgil nodded, noticing that Patton hadn’t exactly forgiven him for his behavior. But then, that could be dealt with later, after he figured out what had Patton looking so…

So broken.

“So, do you…do you think you could tell me…why you’re feeling so bad?”

Patton looked away. Whatever it was, it had to be bad.

“Does it have to do with Logan?”

Patton shook his head.

“Thomas?”

Again, he said no.

“Roman?”

Patton sucked in a breath. They were getting closer.

“Does it have to do with how dismissive Roman has been of you recently?”

Patton didn’t respond. His tears however returned with a vengeance.

“Patton, you know it’s not right of him to be treating you like that. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment.”

“Yes I do.”

Virgil felt himself freeze. “What?”

“I do deserve it.”

“Patton, no, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do!” He jumped to his feet and walked away. Virgil slowly rose as well.

“Patton, how could you say that about yourself?”

“Because I deserve it! After everything I’ve done to him, to them, to Thomas, everyone!”

“Patton—“

“Especially to you!” He rounded on Virgil, his mouth an angry grimace, his eyes squinted in anguish as tears poured down his face. “I know I haven’t done a good job with you. I tried so hard to be nice to you, to be there when you needed help, to be the comfort you needed. But even when I tried to help, I still hurt you—made you feel like you were a child and unable to take care of yourself.”

Patton slumped down as the momentary anger faded.

“No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try to help, all I ever do is hurt the people I love. I infantilized you, I wouldn’t listen to Logan, and Romulus—“

Patton faltered, falling back to sit on the bed behind him. “I know they still hate me for what happened. I know that’s why he delights so much in hurting me with his…his ideas, his…’creativity’. And I know that’s why Roman won’t take me seriously. I made one wrong choice, and he’s never forgiven me for it.”

He looked down at the cardigan. “I don’t deserve to call myself a father.” And with that, he threw the jacket toward the bin near the door.

Virgil was floored. He’d never heard Patton talk about himself like that. What could he have done that would make him feel so worthless? And perhaps even more importantly, who was Romulus, and how did he figure into all this?

Again, Virgil found himself unsure of what to do. But once more, his thoughts turned back to what Patton had always done to help him.

Moving carefully, he retrieved the old cardigan from where it had fallen short of the bin and set himself down next to Patton on the bed.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll understand. But usually when I’m feeling bad about myself, you always try to get me to talk it out so that you can understand what’s wrong and help me process it. Maybe…maybe that’s something that could…work for you?”

Patton didn’t respond for a moment. Finally, he whispered, “I’m not even sure where to start.”

Virgil considered it for a moment before his curiosity made the choice for him. “Maybe you could start with who…with who Romulus is.”

Patton stiffened next to him. But after a moment, he said, “Romulus…was the original Creativity.”

Virgil frowned. “The…‘original’? You mean, Roman hasn’t always been Creativity?”

“…not exactly, no.”

“…I don’t understand.”

Patton took a deep breath before replying.

“Back when Thomas was really young, we sides started to develop. I was first, representing his Emotions. Logan was second, though we only knew him as Curiosity at the time. And then the third of us was King Romulus, Thomas’ Creativity.

“We got along pretty well, considering how reserved Curiosity always was and how exuberant Romulus could be.”

Patton looked over at Virgil, a hint of a smile on his face.

“I think you would have liked him. He was flamboyant and so loud and boisterous, and so obsessed with Disney stories, yes. But he also reveled in the…more complicated…stuff. Like, he had the same sorts of thoughts you do about those darker ideas Disney puts out. He belted out the villain’s songs just as often as the princess songs. Sometimes, when we would play together, he’d insist on being the bad guy, just for the fun of it.”

Virgil smirked at the idea. The vision of Roman—no, not Roman, but still, kind of Roman—the idea of “Creativity” being as excited about the darker themes as him was surprisingly enrapturing. Virgil couldn't help but wonder if Patton was right, that he and the original Creativity could have been close, maybe even friends.

“But then there were also times when he would suggest ideas that…that weren’t so good. That I…I didn’t like. I hadn’t completely shifted over to Morality at that point, but I was starting to. Curiosity was too interested in understanding the world around us. You were still developing in Thomas’ subconscious. And Romulus just wanted to keep exploring his ideas and couldn’t be bothered to distinguish between right and wrong.

“I was the only one who felt that we needed to consider that sort of stuff. And when Deceit suddenly showed up the first time Thomas told a lie, I knew I had to do something. So I started shifting. Thomas needed guidance, and Deceit was just going to get him in trouble in the long run. Or at least…that’s what I thought.”

Patton paused, a fresh wave of tears accompanying a new spike in his regret. Virgil reached back to rub the older side’s back. After a moment, it was enough to calm him down again, and he resumed.

“One day, Romulus and I got into an argument. I’m not even sure what it was about. I just remember that what he was wanting to do wasn’t right. Or at least that I didn’t think that it was right. It got…pretty heated. He kept dismissing my concerns, and I kept insisting that it wasn’t right of him to think about such things.

“Finally, he suggested that I was being stupid and dumb. And I…I snapped.”

Patton fell silent, curling in on himself. Virgil resumed his rubbing. After a few moments, Patton sniffed and resumed his retelling.

“I started yelling. I told him I wasn’t stupid, that I was right and he was wrong, and that if he wasn’t going to do the right thing, then…then I would make him do it.”

Patton’s face fell into his hands, his sobs returning in earnest. Virgil grasped his shoulders, holding him still has he rocked back and forth. Finally, he began to settle again.

“Patton, it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, you…you deserve to know what I’ve done.”

Patton took a few deep breaths before continuing.

“I…I split Creativity in half.”

If Virgil hadn’t learned from years of experience how to keep himself quiet, he would have audibly gasped.

“…you split Creativity?”

Patton nodded, his tears resurging.

“…how?”

“I…I don’t really know, exactly. I just…I wanted to make him act right, and I mentally told him to do so, and somehow that made him split.”

Virgil took a moment to process what he was hearing. Finally, he asked, “Was it…painful?”

Patton shuddered. “I think it was excruciating. He— _they_ —screamed the whole time. He…split right down the middle. One half turning darker and green, the other lighter and red. It only took a few seconds, but it felt like it lasted an eternity. And then, finally, the two fell to the ground, permanently separated.”

Virgil was horrified, but at Patton’s last words, he frowned again. “There wasn’t any way for them to reform?”

“…they’ve never tried. They never got the chance.”

Virgil’s frown deepened. “Why?”

Patton shuddered again, but this time it felt less like remorse and more like something else.

Like fear.

“They didn’t get to try because…because _he_ showed up.”

Virgil felt his own blood going cold, but he had to know for sure. “’He’?”

Patton gulped. “Disdain.”

**Disdain.**

Patton and Virgil both shuddered. Neither of them had seen him in a long time, but the invisible scars of his influence still lingered in their minds. Virgil wasn’t sure what Disdain had done to Patton and the other main sides. But if it was anything like what he’d done to the Others…

Virgil finally asked, “What did…what did he do?”

Patton shrank further into himself. “He showed up, took one look at the two split halves of Creativity, and then smiled at me. I asked him what he was doing there, and he said he was there for one of the new halves. And he just went up to them, sized them up, picked up the darker looking one, and left.

“And I didn’t do anything to stop him.”

Patton’s sobbing returned again.

“I just let him take him. If I…if I hadn’t been so shocked, I could have…I could have stopped him, I could have saved him. But I didn’t! I didn’t!”

Patton’s face met his hands again. Virgil was still in shock with what he’d heard, but that didn’t stop him from pulling Patton into his chest and wrapping his armsaround him.

“Patton, Dad, it’s okay. You were just a kid, you didn’t know any better. You made a mistake, but that mistake doesn’t define you. You never let my mistakes define me. Why should yours define you?”

“But I’m supposed to know better!” he bawled into Virgil’s shirt. “I’m Morality. If I’m not right about what’s right and wrong, then I’m failing Thomas, and everyone else.”

“But I wasn’t doing my job right before either, and you guys still forgave me and accepted me. Why wouldn’t we do the same for you?”

Patton didn’t respond, continuing to cry into Virgil’s chest.

“Patton, you can’t just keep blaming yourself for all the mistakes you’ve made in the past. It’s not healthy for you, or for anyone. You taught me that, remember?”

The two stayed like that for a long time. Finally, Patton’s sobs and tears seemed to have finally been spent. He sniffed a few last times before pulling himself up, wiping away the tear tracts as best he could. And yet through the continued wetness of his face, he still smiled up at Virgil, who returned it.

“Thanks for being here for me, kiddo. You were right, I do feel a lot better now.”

“I’m just glad that I was able to help. I…I was actually coming by to ask for the same from you.”

“Oh, what’s the matter?”

“It’s just…you know I told Thomas that I used to be one of the Others, right?”

“Yeah. What did he say?”

“He didn’t say anything. And I was just…was just afraid of how he feels about me now.”

“And do you still need some help with that?”

Virgil mulled it over for a moment. “Actually, I think maybe helping you helped me deal with my problem as well. I mean, it would be kind of hypocritical for me to tell you not to hate yourself for your past and not to expect us to hold that past against you, when I feel like doing the same thing myself. Maybe…I just have to remember that whatever happened in the past, that doesn’t define who I am now.”

Patton smiled. “Well, I’m glad I was able to help you, even if it wasn’t quite the way you wanted it.”

Virgil smirked back. “That’s okay, Pat. It still helped, a lot.”

Patton’s smile widened. “Say, kiddo, you wanna help me with dinner?”

Virgil nodded. “That sounds great.”

Patton beamed. “Alright then, let’s get going. Dinner’s not gonna cook itself.”

Virgil snorted, then picked up the cardigan from where he’d dropped it and wrapped it around Patton’s shoulders. “Okay, Dad.”

And even if it was absolutely embarrassing to see Patton skipping all the way to the kitchen in joy at his comment, it was still worth it to see his Happy Pappy Patton back again.

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to [my-happy-little-bean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/my_happy_little_bean/pseuds/my_happy_little_bean) for reading this over for me.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a kudo or comment, or even come over and talk to me on [Tumblr](https://davidthetraveler.tumblr.com).


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